The origin of the restaurant name NARO is two-fold. First, the name is an homage to NARO-1, South Korea’s first-ever space vehicle to successfully achieve Earth’s orbit. Second, it is a reference to the Korean phrase “나로 (nah-ro),” “나로 인해서,” meaning “through me.”
Through us – our team, our community, our culture and cuisine – NARO hopes to share the story of Korea’s thousands-year traditions through Hansik, traditional Korean cuisine. Through us, we hope to show the world the beautiful history and bright future of Hansik, to preserve the roots of Korean history, our ancestors’ wisdom and knowledge, and to pass it on to future generations, to be a part of its ongoing evolution.
NARO focuses on more subtle delicate flavors, highlighting traditional techniques with seasonal ingredients, drawing inspiration from classic dishes from various moments of Korean history. Each course of our ever-evolving tasting menus is thoughtfully designed to provide a glimpse of the rich yet delicate beauty of Hansik.
Ganjang Shrimp
Yubu, Gim Bugak, Korean Spinach
Saeujang is a traditional soy-marinated raw shrimp dish that is a popular variation of the classic ganjang gejang (or soy-marinated raw crab). The practice of preserving raw seafood in a soy sauce marinade dates back to the late 17th Century in the southern provinces of Korea, during the Joseon Dynasty.
Traditionally, the raw shrimp is marinated in soy sauce and a selection of aromatics over the course of three to five days. NARO takes inspiration from this dish, and features shrimp that has been marinated in a similar traditional method. It is served inside of a gim bugak, a seaweed crisp, alongside tofu puree, and is finished with chiffonade Korean spinach.
Striped Jack Mulhwe
Deodeok, Doenjang, Cucumber, Chopi
Mulhwe is a Korean word that roughly translates to water and raw fish. It is a bright and refreshing combination of a robust chilled broth, crisp vegetables and a medley of the freshest seafood.
This dish traces its roots back to the southeastern coast of the Korean peninsula in the Gyeongsang province as a fisherman’s concoction with humble beginnings. Originally made with thin slices of fresh caught fish mixed with water, gochujang, and sometimes soju, it was an accessible meal that was quick and easy to prepare for the busy fisherman. Over the years though, well-known renditions have become popular throughout many of Korea’s coastal cities.
NARO’s version of mulhwe is from Jeju Island. Whereas most versions of mulhwe in Korea are spicy and red in color due to use of gochujang, Jeju Island has a unique version that utilizes doenjang, fermented soybean paste.
The broth for this course uses both doenjang and a dashi made of myeolchi, Korean anchovies. In the center of the bowl, layers of fresh striped jack mackerel, cucumber and deodeok, a mountain root vegetable almost uniquely found in Korea. It is then finished with trout roe, a granita made with dongchimi, or the brine of a type of white water kimchi made with Korean radishes, and is finally dusted with gochugaru.
Yukjeup Onchae
Abalone, Brisket, Radish, Korean Mustard
Yukjeup onchae is what we have named our variation of the classic naengchae. Naengchae literally translates to cold salad, and typically features chilled seafood (most commonly jellyfish or octopus), along with a variety of different vegetables, dressed in a distinctive Korean mustard sauce.
Our version features many of these same elements, but instead of serving this dish chilled, we are breaking from tradition by serving some of these same flavors in a warm rendition (hence the variation to onchae instead of naengchae - on meaning warm and naeng meaning cold).
This dish features poached shrimp, steamed abalone, and pulled brisket served alongside breakfast radish, hakurei turnips, and bamboo shoots, all seasoned with Korean mustard and pine nuts. Finally it is finished with chervil, cherry tomato slices, and a sauce made with brisket dashi and soy sauce.
Twigim is the word to describe fried dishes in Korea. Fried vegetables, or yachae twigim, is ubiquitously present on dinner tables throughout Korea, at bars as a popular drinking snack, and at street vendor stalls as a favorite afterschool snack for children.
Yachae twigim though, traces its roots back to Korean Buddhist temple cuisine. This is where we first see records of various preparations of fried vegetables being consumed by the masses (and over time, these preparations have evolved into the yachae twigim dishes we know and love today).
This dish draws inspiration from the traditional yachae twigim, but also from two other classic dishes that often are served hand-in-hand with yachae twigim: mandu and jeon. Mandu is a Korean style dumpling, and jeon is often referred to as a Korean style fritter. All three of these are often enjoyed together at large family gatherings, as a rainy day treat (often as a drinking snack), or as a tasty reward during or after an invigorating hike (often with a bowl of makgeolli).
The squash blossom is first stuffed with a mixture of shrimp, garlic chives, pyogo mushrooms, scallop, and jalapeño - similar to a classic mandu filling. It is then dredged, battered, and fried, similar to yachae twigim. This stuff squash blossom twigim is served alongside bamboo jeon, and finally finished with a sauce made of beef stock, soy sauce, and scallops.
Squash Blossom Twigim
Bamboo Jeon, Scallop, Chili Oil
Gui is the word to describe grilled dishes in Korea. Grilled fish, or saengseon gui, is ubiquitously present on dinner tables throughout Korea, and was also a staple component of surasang, traditional table setting for the royal court of the Joseon Dynasty.
Our dish features sea bass that has been dehydrated for a day, before being grilled on a binchotan charcoal grill, resulting in a beautiful, crisp texture. On the side of the fish is aehobak, Korean zucchini, sourced from a Korean-owned farm located in San Marcos, CA, called Girl & Dug Farm, as well as long-fermented napa cabbage kimchi and watercress.
At the bottom of the bowl you will find potato sujebi. Sujebi is a traditional hand-torn noodle made of wheat flour, dating back to the Goryeo Dynasty. The name sujebi comes from the combination of two words: su meaning hand and jeobeo meaning to fold. One of the more popular versions of sujebi include a perilla seed based broth, which is why we finish this dish with a perilla seed sauce.
Sea Bass Gui
Potato Sujebi, Perilla Seed, Aehobak
Tteokgalbi is a traditional preparation of soy-glazed minced beef, dating back to the Joseon Dynasty. Tteokgalbi is a combination of two words: tteok, rice cake, and galbi, literally translating to rib but often used to describe beef short rib.
The origins of tteokgalbi can be traced back to the city of Damyang in the Jeolla province of southwestern Korea and to a king, who loved beef short rib, but could not manage to keep his hands or mouth clean while enjoying it. The royal court deemed it improper for the king to be eating in such a manner, and so they invented a preparation where the king could enjoy a variation of his favorite dish, with the use of his chopsticks, so that he could remain elegant.
Ours features minced wagyu, king trumpet mushrooms and buchu, garlic chives. It is served with mussel muchim - mussels that have been seasoned with soy sauce and gochugaru, and it is finished with red mustard leaves and fresh, raw, under ripe chamoe (Korean melon).
Wagyu Tteokgalbi
Lotus Root Jorim, Abalone, Daepa
Chamoe Hwachae
Watermelon Meringue, Chamoe Ice Cream
Chamoe (sometimes referred to as a Korean melon or Oriental melon) is the unofficial marker that Summer has arrived in Korea. With a short harvesting season from late June through the end of August, it is the representative fruit of Summer in Korea. Although it is considerably less sweet than most Western varieties of melon (sometimes being compared to as a cross between a honeydew melon and a cucumber), its refreshing quality makes it a ubiquitous treat during the long, hot days of Summer.
With this version, we draw inspiration from a classic Korean beverage called hwachae, a crisp punch enjoyed during the summertime. Records of hwachae date back to 1829, with the first version featuring: rose, azalea, cherries, raspberries, omija tea, honey. Nowadays, the format has evolved to feature all sorts of different fruits, flowers, sweeteners, and bases (even sometimes Sprite, milk, or even soju), but it serves the same refreshing purpose it always has.
Our rendition features pickled chamoe, compressed watermelon, chamoe ice cream, and is finished with watermelon meringue and watermelon juice.
Ganjang is the Korean word for soy sauce, but actually literally translates to “seasoning sauce.” Much like how salt is used in Western cuisine to season food, soy sauce has been traditionally used in Korean cooking to season dishes.
Although most commonly used in savory applications, ganjang, much like salt, can find its way into both savory and sweet dishes. This dish presents the continued evolution of the use of ganjang within Korean cuisine, playing off of the deep flavors of ganjang to balance elegantly with the creamy barley mousse, the boldness of the pralines, and the richness of the chocolate cake.
Ganjang Pecan
Chocolate Ganjang Cake, Pecan Praline, Coffee Ice Cream
